[Uncover the secrets of Estonia]

Exploring the Abandoned Volta Factory

Posted on by

Another rumour circles. Abandoned factory in Kalamaja, easy access and full of trees. It’s time to explore.

Outside my window the bright sunshine masks a bitter October morning. The vague promise of snow and piercing Baltic winds try their best to discourage me from my mission as I set off on my trusty bicycle but there is no way I am turning back today. There is fire in my belly. Adrenaline pumps at the prospect of uncovering yet another concealed corner of Tallinn and my ride along the Cultural Kilometre is full of purpose and defiance.

Without solid directions it was evident that I was going to have to piece together the clues myself. A YouTube video and several blogs had pointed me in the right direction, now I had to follow my nose and hone in on my target.

Fortunately, a huge abandoned factory full of trees is pretty conspicuous and sure enough, before too long, there she was. Unmistakable,

Hello Volta. My goodness, you are looking very pretty today.

In her heyday, Volta produced electric generators (I’m sure there is a pun there somewhere. Volt-a. Volt. Voltage. Electric generators… Volta. Never mind). When the Soviet Union collapsed and economies shifted, the demand for Volta’s generators fell so drastically that she had to be closed down. The sheer size of this structure meant that the cost of demolition was simply too high so the owners had no choice but to abandoned her.

Metal thieves descended and the factory was stripped all the way down to a bare shell. This bustling hub of workers reduced to a silent hollow skeleton at the mercy of the elements.

…but all is not lost, for life dwells within the walls of this forgotten beast. The deafening tones of churning machinery are mere echoes of the past. Today, nature has taken dominium, flooding the thick limestone walls with trees. Vast greenery carpets the interior of this factory as nature continues to prove that once our petty human ventures have failed she will always reclaim what was once hers.

It’s really easy to spot from the road so you will have no problems finding it.

As for security, there are no guards but there is an electric security gate that will close automatically at the end of the working day so be sure to visit Volta during the day to avoid being caught behind that.

I found it to be very safe for a solo traveller. The only danger would be if you decided to climb the ladder onto the roof. The structure itself is very strong but there are huge gaps where a glass roof used to be. Just watch your footing, be sensible and you will be fine.

Unfortunately, the Volta Factory is being turned into a trendy loft-style complex, and access to the main building is as good as impossible. The project will be finished by 2021, so if you want to get a last look, now is the time!